♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> WORLD CUP, WE'RE CONNECTING YOU WITH THE CREATIVITY AND CULTURE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING A NATIONALLY RENOWNED QUILTMAKER.

>> IF I LOOK AT IT AND IF IT DOESN'T MAKE MY HEART SING, I'LL GO UPSTAIRS AND I CUT IT UP AND START ALL OVER AGAIN.

>>> ARTIST ANDRAE GREEN EXPLORES TIME, MYTHOLOGY, AND HISTORY THROUGH HIS WORK.

>> THE SON SAID -- [INAUDIBLE] KIND OF SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE ALWAYS FLYING.

>>> AND DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE THE SUNRISE?

NO WORST IF YOU DIDN'T.

WE'VE COVERED -- WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.

>> HIS CAMERAS ARE SET AND HIS DRONE IS READY.

>> THIS KIND OF LIGHT LAST PHYSICAL YOU'RE LUCK 15 MINUTES.

>> JOIN US FOR THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS WE EXPLORE THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, UP NEXT ON "CONNECTING POINT."

>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" IS PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> WELCOME AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR "CONNECTING POINT," YOUR SOURCE FOR CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

ED JOHNETTA MILLER OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE AND COLORFUL IMPROVISATION QUIT MAKERS IN THE UNITED STATES.

HER QUILTS CAN BE FOUND IN BOTH CORPORATE AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS, AS WELL AS MANY IMPORTANT MUSEUMS, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF THE SMITHSONIAN IN WASHINGTON.

SHE TOLD PRODUCER DAVE FRASER RECENTLY THAT QUITTING STUD -- QUILTLY STUDIOUSLY DAY AFTER DAY GIVES HER A RENEW ANTICIPATION OF WHAT BEAUTY WILL EVOLVE FROM IT, AND HE BRINGS US HER STORY.

>> WELLTS HAS -- QUILTING HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PASSION FOR ME AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.

ALL RIGHT.

>> FROM HER THIRD FLOOR STUDIO IN HER HOME IN HARTFORD'S BLUE HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD, EDITES MAKES HER WAY -- ED JOHNETTA MILLER MAKES HER WAY TO HER SHOWING MACHINE -- SEWING MACHINE.

STACKS ARE SHELVES OF FABRIC, KIMONOS, SCARVES, AND LINENS, COLLECTIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND AROUND THE CORNER.

>> PEOPLE JUST DROP OFF THINGS.

THEY KNOW, YOU GOT IF FABRICS, U DON'T WANT TO USE THEM, DROP THEM OFF ON MY PORCH.

>> MILLER'S CAREER STARTED AS A PROFESSIONAL WEAVER, BUT QUILTING HAS BECOME HER PASSION.

SHE'S CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE AND CHLORAL IMPROVISATIONAL QUILT MAKERS IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> WEAVING WAS STRUCTURAL.

IF I WOUND THREADS, THOUSANDS OF THREADS, AND I SAT THERE AND I THREADED MY LOOM AND THEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOOM THERE IS THIS LITTLE BUG -- BUMP THERE, KNOWING THAT IT'S AN ERROR, I HAVE TO TAKE ALL OF THAT, START AGAIN, AND IN QUILLLES -- QUILLING -- QUILTING, THERE ARE NO WUMPS.

IF I LOOK AT IT AND INTEREST DOESN'T MAKE MY HEART SING, I'LL GO UPSTAIRS AND CUT IT ALL OVER AGAIN.

>> HER PARENTS ENGCIEWRNED HER TO ENTER A MORE PRACTICAL PROFESSION, SAYING ART WAS FINANCIALLY RISK.

BUT HER NURSE WHO QUILTED AND SOD IN THE EVENINGS TOOK HER TO MUSEUMS, CRAFT BARES, AND THE SCHOOL OF DESIGN.

>> SHE CAUGHT ME HOW TO DO SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS WHEN I WAS VERY, VERY YOUNG.

AND SCHE HAS HAD -- SHE HAS FOLLOWED MY CAREER UNTIL SHE PASSED AWAY SELF YEARS AGO.

AND WAS SO -- SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

AND WAS SO PROUD THAT I TOOK THAT LITTLE NOURISHING PIECE OF MY LIFE AND JUST HAD IT EXPLODE.

>> AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN, MILLER HAS EXPERIENCED MANY INJUSTICES THROUGHOUT HER LIFE.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, SHE BEGAN TO MAKE A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO HER AND CREATED A QUILT, CALLED, "I HAVE KNOWN INJUSTICE ALL MY LIFE."

>> SO I GOT IT OUT.

I GOT IT OUT THROUGH MY WRITING.

I GOT IT OUT THEN THROUGH DOING MY QUILT.

>> HER PIECE FOR THE TEXTILE CENTER IN MINNEAPOLIS WEAVES "BLACK LIVES MATTER" NEWSPAPER HEADLINES AND OTHER MOTIFS INTO BOLD RED, WHITE, AND BLACK PATTERNS.

THE COLORS MILLER SAYS IS THE MOOD WE'VE SHARED AND THE BLACKNESS OF US.

>> I WAS GLUED TO WATCHING TV, THE NEWS.

ALL I WOULD WATCH IS THE NEWS AND IT BECAME MORE AND MORE ANGRY.

SO THAT'S WHY I SAID, I'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.

I'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.

AND DOING SOMETHING THROUGH TELLING MY STORY OF INJUSTICES THROUGH MY QUILTS.

"BLACK LIVES MATTER."

"BLACK LIVES MATTER" IT'S SO, SO IMPORTANT AND WE CAN NEVER FORGET THAT.

OKAY, SO NOW, I TOLD THEM -- >> IN HER HANT PAINTED -- HANDPAINTED SCARVES, SHE USES YOUNG PEOPLE TO QUILTING.

SHE VISITED THE MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MIDDLE SCHOOL IN HARTFORD TO HELP STUDENTS WITH A QUILT THEY'LL MAKE FOR THEIR SCHOOL.

>> I WANT TO IMPRESS UPON YOUNG PEOPLE, KNOW YOUR MAYOR TAJ.

-- HERITAGE.

AND THAT'S WHY I TEACH AT MANY, MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, TO TALK ABOUT ME AS AN ARTIST.

BUT MY TRIALS AND TRIBULATION HAS BECOMING AN ARTIST, HOUCK -- HOW YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.

GOT TO PUT FORTH THE EFFORT.

DO A GOOD JOB, AND BE KIND.

>> MILLER'S WORK CAN BE FOUND IN MUSEUMS AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS AROUND THE WORLD, AS WELL AS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE SMITHSONIAN IN WASHINGTON, D.C. SHE SAYS AS LONG AS SHE IS ABLE, SHE PLANS TO CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE FREEDOM, MOVEMENT, AND POWER GIVEN TO CREATING THE SCULPTURE OF THE CLOTH.

>> I LOVE THE FEEL.

I LOVE THE SMELL.

I LOVE THE COLORS!

I MEAN, IT JUST -- QUILTING TAKES OVER MY LIFE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> AND TO LEARN HOW THE QUILTER GOT HER UNIQUE NAME, VISIT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT FOR A DIG EXCLUSIVE -- DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE PIECE.

>>> LOCALLY BATHE VISUAL ARTIST ANDRAE GREEN HAS HAD HIS WORK SHOWN INTERNATIONALLY.

ORIGINALLY FROM JAMAICA, GREENS WITH AWARDED A FULL SCHOLARSHIP GRANT, SPONSORED BY THE JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT, TO FURTHER HIS ART STUDIES AT IF NEW YORK ACADEMY OF ART.

SINCE THEN HE HAS CONTINUED CREATING VIBRANT PIECES THAT REFERENCE HISTORY AND EXPLORE TIME, MYTHOLOGY, AND MEMORY.

I SPOKE WITH GREEN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS CREATIVE PROCESS AND HOW HE INCORPORATES HIS OWN PERSONAL MEMORIES AND HERITAGE INTO HIS HART ERK -- ARTWORK.

>> AS EARLY AS I CAN REMEMBER, DRAWING WAS SOMETHING I WAS ALWAYS DOING.

WHERE IT TURNED INTO A PASSION IS WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE AND I DID MY FIRST PAINTING IN COLLEGE.

OF THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, WHICH IS THE ONLY ART SCHOOL IN THE CARIBBEAN.

SO EVERYONE KNOWS THERE.

IT'S LIKE JAMAICA.

>> YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JAMAICAN IDENTITY AS A HYBRIDIZATION OF EUROPEAN AND WEST AFRICAN CULTURES.

HOW DOES YOUR HERITAGE INFLUENCE YOUR ARTWORK AND HOW DO WE SEE THIS HYBRID IDENTITY PLAY OUT IN YOUR PIECES?

>> FIRST AND FOREMOST, I TELL PEOPLE TO BE JA WRAIKAN IS -- JAMAICAN IS NOT -- WE'RE MAJORITY BLACK.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME THESE OTHERACES ARE PART -- OTHER RACES ARE PART AND PARCEL OF WHAT IT MEANS.

THE MOTTO OF JAMAICA IS MANY OF ONE PEOPLE.

SO THAT IN A SENSE IS WHERE I PULL FROM.

MY -- PEOPLE JUST GROWING UP IN KINGSTON, WHICH IS VERY DIVERSE.

THEN LIVING HERE IN WESTERN MASS, MOVING TO WESTERN MASS WITH MY WIFE, IT KIND OF -- I STARTED TO REFLECT BECAUSE I WASN'T AROUND THE CULTURE ANYMORE AND I STARTED TO GET HOMESICK AND SO YOUR THOUGHTS LONG FOR HOME AND IT STARTS TO BLEED INTO THE WORK A LOT.

AND EVEN THE STUFF BEHIND ME, IT'S ABOUT ONE MEMORY, ME AND MY DAD.

MY DAD AND MY FAMILY WOULD GO TO KINGSTON HARBOR AND JUST -- WE'D WATCH THE KIDS JUMP OFF THE PIER, YOU KNOW, AND JUST REMEMBERING THAT ONE THING.

YOU KNOW, THE SUNSET OR THE SUN WAS, -- PLAYING -- FLYING IN THE AIR AND SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE ALWAYS FLYING.

SOMETHING I CHERISH AND I MISS.

>> I NOTICED THERE'S A LOT OF VIBRANCY WHICH REFLECTS THE CRANAN -- CARIBBEANAN CULTURE.

>> YEAH, AND AFRICAN CULTURE, TOO.

YEAH.

>> AND THERE'S A LOT OF MOVEMENT AS WELL.

IS THERE A PARTICULAR TECHNIQUE THAT IS YOURS, THAT WHEN SOMEONE SEES IT, THEY KNOW, THIS IS AN ANDRAE GREEN PAINTING?

>> I HOPE SO.

BECAUSE I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

IT'S KIND OF HARD FOR ME TO SAY.

BUT I FEEL LIKE MOST OF MY WORK DEALS WITH MEMORY AND TIME.

SO A LOT -- YOU'LL SEE FIGURES LIKE SHIFTING OR BEING BLURRED INTO OR YOU'LL SEE LIKE A GLITCH EFFECT.

IT'S LIKE -- I USE FOR MEMORY OR SOMETHING THAT LOOKS REAL BUT ISN'T, WHICH IS LIKE A HALLMARK FOR MAYBE -- IT'S NOT BEING REMEMBERED RIGHT OR MAYBE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING IT RIGHT, YOU KNOW.

SO LITTLE CUES LIKE THAT I THINK CARRY ON WITH THE WORK AND ALSO PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THE COLOR SENSIBILITY, THE VIBRANCE IS SOMETHING THAT THEY SEE FROM MY BODY OF WORK TO WORK.

>> ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS THAT IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ART SALON, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THE IMAGES IN YOUR HEAD BUT IT'S MORE OF A FEELING THAT COMES TO YOU.

WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE?

HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO KIND OF TRUST YOUR OWN INTUITION AND FOLLOW IT TO CREATE ONE OF YOUR ARTWORKS?

>> SO FOR ME, IT'S LOOKING AT THE ARTWORK, FAMILIARIZING MYSELF.

I'M ALWAYS LIKE -- WITH NEW ART, GOING TO MUSEUMS, ALSO TO -- AS MUCH AS I CAN.

AND THEN JUST FILLING THAT RESERVOIR.

SO OVER TIME, AND WITH PRACTICE OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO BE IN HERE EVERY DAY OR AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, FOR IT TO FEEL LIKE -- FOR YOU TO STOP LIKE THINKING ABOUT IT AND JUST DOING IT.

AND THEN IT BECOMES AN EXTENSION.

SO I THINK AFTER ALL OF THAT IS BEING DONE, THEN YOU HAVE US A GUT SENSE.

>> I WANT TO TOUCH TO SOME OF THE TEAMS THAT YOUR PAINTINGS ARE ABOUT.

SO -- THEMES THAT YOUR PAINTINGS ARE ABOUT.

YOU SHOWTIME, MYTHOLOGY, MEMORY, HISTORY.

WHY ARE THOSE THE THEMES THAT REALLY RESONATE WITH YOU AND WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR ART?

>> FOR ME, LIKE PART OF THE BEAUTY OF AN ARTIST -- HAS A DUTY IS TO KIND OF MARK WHERE WE ARE VISUALLY.

AS OUR PEOPLE, AS OUR RACE, AS OUR CULTURE AND THAT'S WHY I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT.

I PICK STUFF THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME, THINGS THAT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND.

I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY DO WE BELIEVE THE THINGS WE DO, WHY DO WE SEE THE WAY WE SEE, AND OF COURSE, I DO -- TO MY OWN SUBJECTIVE LENS, I'M A BLACK MALE, GREW UP IN A CERTAIN TIME, IN A CERTAIN PLACE.

SO I SEE THE WORLD A CERTAIN WAY.

SO WHEN THEY -- EXPERIENCES OF THIS TIME HAPPENS TO US, I INTERPRET IT THAT QUAY AND IT KIND OF GIVES -- WAY AND IT KIND OF GIVES THE WORLD AN -- POSTERITY THAT'S -- NOT SURE OF WHERE QUESTION WERE, DOING ESPECIALLY THESE WORKS, I SEE PEOPLE OUTSIDE JUMPING, TWISTING, AND ALL THAT STUFF.

FOR ME IT'S A DIRECT -- I AM TRYING TO -- FIND -- AND I NEVER SAID THIS TO ANYONE BEFORE, BUT ACTUALLY TRYING TO GIVE AN ANECDOTE TO WHAT I FELT WAS PEOPLE FELT.

SO YOU'RE INSIDE ALL THE TIME.

YOU CANNOT GO ANYWHERE.

YOU FEEL DEPRESSED.

AND SUICIDE RISK WENT UP, YOU KNOW, SINCE COLD FOR TWO YEARS.

SO FOR ME, I WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE IMAGES THAT RELEASE THEM, THAT HELP THEM KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE BLACK OR WHITE, I'M USING A BLACK MALE BODY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I AM.

BUT TO HELP FEEL RELEASE.

TO HELP KNOW OUR MIND AND -- REMIND THEM THAT YOU ARE FREE IF YOU CAN BE IN A STATE, A GOOD MENTAL STATE, YOU KNOW.

AND THEN SO THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT, THE MEMORY OF MY DAD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN -- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HIT ME, YOU KNOW.

YOU KNOW, THOSE KIDS JUMPING AND IT'S JUST THAT EXHILARATION OF FREEDOM.

♪ ♪ >>> IF YOU'RE UP EARLY ENOUGH TO CATCH THE SUNRISE, AND THE CONDITIONS ARE JUST RIGHT, YOU MAY BE TREATED TO A SHOWCASE OF AMAZING COLORS IN THE SKY.

LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER JAMIE MALCOLM-BROWN CAPTURES SCENES LIKE THIS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND, EARNING HIMSELF A REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE BEST LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE REGION.

YEP'S -- "CONNECTING POINT'S" ROSS LIPPMAN MET MALCOLM-BROWN ONE EARLY MORNING WHERE BOTH THE SUNRISE AND MAL CONBROWN'S FORTS DIDN'T DISAPPOINTMENT.

>> IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WHEN MOST OF US ARE TILL ASLEEP, JAMIE MALCOLM-BROWN IS AWAKE.

>> GETTING PRETTY CLOSE.

>> AND WAITING.

>> NICE.

>> FOR SIGNS IN THE SKY.

>> WE'RE GETTING SOME REAL NICE COLOR THROUGH THE TREES, TOO.

>> MALCOLM -- MAP CONBROWN IS A -- MALCOLM-BROWN IS A LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER.

HIS COUNCILORS ARE SET AND HIS DRONE -- IS READY.

>> THIS KIND OF LIGHT LASTS, IF YOU'RE LUCKY, 15 MINUTES.

>> SOON THESE FAINT HINTS OF PINKS, REDS, AND PURPLES WILL BURST WITH COLOR.

AND THAT'S WHEN MALCOLM-BROWN TAKES FLIGHT.

>> OH, YEAH.

THIS IS A NICE SKY.

WE LUCKED OUT.

>> CAPTURING A SUNRISE LIKE THIS, WITH SO MUCH COLOR AND BRILLIANCE, IS WHAT MALCOLM-BROWN DESCRIBED AS AN INACT SCIENCE.

>> AS MUCH TIME AS I SPEND LOOKING AT THE WEATHER MAPS, I GET DUD AFTER DUD BECAUSE ALL IT TAKES IS ONE LOW CLOUD ON THE HORIZON TO KILL EVERYTHING.

>> THOUGH THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT ONE OF THOSE DAYS, IT'S THE KIND WHERE A PICTURE IS WORTH AT LEAST A THOUSAND WORDS.

>> I MEAN, I ALWAYS LOVED LIKE THE IDEA OF PHOTOGRAPHY, LIKE GROWING UP.

MY FAMILY HAD LIKE THE OLD BIG GIANT VHS CAMERA.

THEY HAD ON THEIR SHOULDER.

AND I WAS ALWAYS USING THAT AT FAMILY PARTIES AND STUFF.

>> HIS CHILDHOOD PASSION HAS GROWN INTO MAL CONBROWN BEING ONE OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN PHOTOGRAPHIES -- PHOTOGRAPHERS IN NEW ENGLAND, BASED HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

ON SOCIAL MEDIA HIS WORK IS SHARED BY THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS.

THE TAGLINE FOR HIS POSTS, A REFLECTION OF HIS PHILOSOPHY.

GET OUT AND EXPLORE HOWEVER YOU CAN.

>> PRIMARILY IT'S THE LOVE OF BEING OUTSIDE.

LIKE I JUST -- I LOVE TO BE OUT EXPLORING NEW PLACES.

I LIKE THAT DRAMA OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T NORMALLY SEE BECAUSE THEY'RE ASLEEP.

>> FROM SUNRISES AND SUNSETS, TO CAPTURING THE MILKY WAY IN THE NIGHT SKY, MALCOLM-BROWN USES HIS PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY TO FUEL THOSE DAYS HE GETS LITTLE SLEEP.

>> MONDAYS I'M WORKING FULL TIME.

HOME-SCHOOLING.

AND TRYING TO MANAGE MY SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, WHICH IS HOW LIKE PHOTOGRAPHERS THESE DAYS GET THEIR WORK OUT.

AND IT'S -- SOME DAYS I JUST CAN'T DO IT.

AND IT'S DIFFICULT, BUT IT'S THE NEXT MORNING THAT EXCITES ME.

THE NEXT MORNING THAT I CAN GET OUT FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND HOPEFULLY CAPTURE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.

>> HE'S ALSO EXPLORING NEW WAYS TO CAPTURE THAT BEAUTY.

AT GUN BROOK FALLSES, JUST DOWN THE ROAD IN SUNDERLAND, HE'S TESTING OUT HIS NEW SLIDER.

IT'S A DEVICE THAT HILL PROGRAM TO MOVE HIS CAMERA LITTLE BY LITTLE, CAPTURING ONE FRAME AT A TIME.

IT'S HUNDREDS IN TOTAL, THAT, WHEN PUT TOGETHER, GIVES YOU A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE.

>> LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY IS REALLY JUST THE ACT OF BEING OUT IN THE LANDSCAPE AND CAPTURING AN IMAGE.

BUT I USE NEW TOOLS FOR THAT.

SO LIKE THE DRONE GIVES YOU A NEW PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU CAN'T GET OTHERWISE.

AND THEN THE SLIDER THAT I'M USING, IT CAN SHOW MOVEMENT AND TIME IN A WAY THAT -- HUMAN EYE CAN'T SEE.

ONE MORNING IS LIKE SUPER FOGGY, SUN CAME UP.

OVER THE FOG.

AND ONE TREE IN SOMEBODI' YARD JUST LOOK -- SOMEBODY'S YARD JUST LOOKED AMAZING.

I HAD ON MY LONG LENS.

JUM OUTED.

CAR, TOOK SOME SNAPS, AND IT DOESN'T LIKE YOU'RE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

THAT MOMENT WAS JUST EXTRAORDINARY.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> EVERY WEEK "CONNECTING POINT" EXPLORES THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE ANYTIME FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES AND CONTENT.

IN THIS WEEK'S DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE, WE OFFER YOU A CURATED GALLERY OF PHOTOGRAPHER'S JAMIE MALCOLM-BROWN'S BEST WORK FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT.

YOU CAN FIND THAT DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> LEXON RESIDENT MERRILLINE PETERSON HAUS SPENT HER CHILDHOOD ON HER FAMILY FARM IN MINNESOTA AND SHARED A CLOSE BOND WITH HER TWIN BROTHER, WHO HAD A DIAGNOSIS OF BIPOLAR DISORDER.

HER MEMOIR ENTITLED, ""HALF OF A WHOLE"," CHRONICLES THE STORY OF HER TWIN'S MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE CONSEQUENCES IT BRINGS TO THE FAMILY DYNAMIC.

SHE JOINED ME TO SHARE HER EXPERIENCE OF HOW SHE FOUND THE COURAGE TO CONFRONT HER PAINFUL PAST.

>> BY -- IT HAPPENED THAT MY BROTHER DIED AT THE SAME TIME AND MY MOTHER DIED HALF A YEAR -- OR HALF A YEAR BEFORE HIM.

SO THE TWO CHARACTERS WHO NEVER APPROVED OF ME WRITING THIS BOOK NO LONGER WERE ALIVE, SO THAT GAVE ME THE FREEDOM TO WRITE.

AND I HAD THIS HEARTFELT STORY THAT I WANTED TO GET DONE ON PAPER.

>> AND THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, YOU TOUCH ON THREE THEMES.

ONE BEING THE UNIQUE CONNECTION BETWEEN TWINS, THE CONSEQUENCES OF MENTAL ILLNESS, AND THEN YOUR QUEST FOR INDEPENDENCE.

HOW DID IT FEEL TO REVISIT AND RELIVE SOME OF THESE MEMORIES AND MOMENTS THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE?

>> WELL, THAT WAS A VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS TRANSPORTED RIGHT BACK INTO THOSE SITUATIONS.

I REFELT THE EMOTIONS.

IN FACT, I THINK SOME OF THEM WERE STRONGER AS I TRIED TO EXAMINE WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MY MIND.

AND AT THE TIME.

AND I RELIVED THEM.

SO IT WAS IN A WAY HELPED ME TO WRITE THE STORY BECAUSE I COULD WRITE IT FROM MY HEART.

>> I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THIS BOOK IS CENTERED AROUND THE MENTAL ILLNESS THAT MARVIN HAD.

TO DATE, ESPECIALLY LIVING IN THIS PANDEMIC ERA, MENTAL ILLNESS DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME STIGMA THAT IT ONCE DID.

AND MARVIN WASN'T DIAGNOSED UNTIL HE WAS 45 YEARS OLD.

SO IN WHAT WAYS DID YOU WITNESS YOUR FAMILY COPE OR NOT COPE WITH HIS BEHAVIOR AS A CHILD AND EVENTUALLY HAS DIAGNOSIS AS AN ADULT?

>> WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, NO ONE THOUGHT ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS.

WHEN WE WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL, I'M SURE MY BROTHER WAS SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION.

BUT THE STIGMA WAS SO GREAT, OUR IGNORANCE WAS GREAT, AND SO WE INTERPRETED, TRANSLATESSED IT TO BEING HE WAS LAZY.

MY FATHER THOUGHT HE WAS, YOU KNOW, JUST A LAZY AND -- AND EVEN CALLED HIM A GOOD FOR NOTHING, WHICH BROKE MY HEART.

MY MOTHER TOOK UPON HERSELF TO PROTECT HIM TO, TRY TO MAKE HIM INTO THE SON MY FATHER WANTED.

BUT NONE OF US EXPECTED ANYTHING.

I SAW SOME SIGNS, BUT IT WAS EASY TO IGNORE THEM.

AND THEN WHEN HE HAD HIS BIG PSYCHOTIC BREAKDOWN AT AGE 45, THAT WAS WHEN I KNEW HE HAD A MENTAL ILLNESS AND MY FAMILY, MY CURRENT FAMILY, KNEW ABOUT IT.

BUT MY MOTHER NEVER ACCEPTED IT.

AND MY BROTHER HIMSELF NEVER ACCEPTED IT.

>> ANOTHER PAINFUL MOMENT THAT FOR ME IN THE BOOK WAS HEARING ABOUT ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT YOUR MOTHER TOOK TO KIND OF HOLD BACK YOUR SUCCESSES FROM YOUR TWIN MARVIN AND ONE OF THE STORIES THAT REALLY TOUCHED ME IN A PAINFUL WAY WAS HEARING HOW SHE KEPT YOU IN A WALKER AS A BABY BECAUSE YOU BEGAN TO WALK BEFORE MARVIN DID.

HOW DID THOSE MOMENTS AFFECT YOU, YOUR INDIVIDUALISM, AND -- AND TURN THE RELATIONSHIP YOU HAD WITH YOUR MOTHER?

>> IT WAS EXTREMELY PAINFUL.

AND I DIDN'T REALIZE REALLY WHAT WAS GOING ON.

WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THAT INCIDENT WHEN SHE PREVENTED ME FROM WALKING, I WAS STUNNED.

I KNEW I WAS HAVING TROUBLE IN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HER, BECAUSE SHE WOULD DIMINISH ME.

SHE DENIGRATED MY CAREER, THE RAY I RAISED -- WAY WE RAISED OUR CHILDREN, EVEN THE FOOD I COOKED.

AND SHE WAS SO CRITICAL OF ME.

AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND IT.

I WORKED SO HARD TO PLEASE HER.

I LOVED MY MOTHER.

AND I HAD ALWAYS SIDED WITH HER IN OUR PATE -- PAY PATRIARCHAL FAMILY.

AND WHEN I CAME OUT OF THERAPY AND I BEGAN TO WORK ON MY OWN, I REALIZED I HAD THIS RAGE AT HER.

AND WHEN THAT RAGE ERUPTED, I FINALLY, 10 YEARS AFTER I COMPLETED THERAPY, SO I WAS LIKE 60 YEARS OLD -- I CONFRONTED HER.

AND SHE WAS ADAMANT IN HER POSITION.

AND I TOLD HER, YOU KNOW, THAT SHE HAD NOT TREATED ME FAIRLY.

SHE EVENTUALLY BACKED DOWN JUST FOR A FEW MOMENTS, BUT I AT THAT POINT ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT SHE WAS ACTING OUT OF HER OWN SITUATION.

SHE WAS DISPRAIL TRYING TO PROTECT MY TWIN AND SHE THOUGHT I TRADE TO MAKE MY TWIN LOOK BAD.

AND IN THE PROCESS OF PROTECTING HIM, SHE SORT OF PUSHED ME ASIDE.

>> MARVIN PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER AT THE AGE OF 67.

WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR FONDEST MEMORIES WITH HIM GROWING UP AND EVEN THROUGH ADULTHOOD AND WHAT WOULD YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY FROM HISTORY AND REALLY UNDERSTAND -- HIS WERE STORY AND REALLY UNDERSTAND ABOUT HIM?

>> I THINK MY FONDEST MEMORIES WERE ALL THE FUN WE HAD ON THE FARM, JUST THE TWO OF US.

WE EXPLORED THE WOODS, WE FOUND THE KITTENS AND PLAYED WITH THEM.

WE FED THE PIGS.

WE HAD AN IDEAIG CHILD -- IDYLLIC CHILDHOOD ON THE SURFACE.

I WAS SURPRISED HOW MUCH LITTLE SUPERVISION WET.

AS FOR WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE FROM THE BOOK, I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY HAVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF MENTAL ILLNESS ON A FAMILY.

IT'S DEVASTATING.

AND YOU KNOW, HE TRIED TO HIDE HIS MENTAL ILLNESS.

AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

AND EACH OF US WERE OPERATING OUT OF OUR OWN EXPECTATIONS, OUR OWN NEEDS, OUR OWN PAIN, OUR OWN -- YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WANTED OUT OF LIFE.

SO I WOULD HOPE THE READER ALSO HAS MORE COMPASSION FOR EACH OF US INVOLVED IN A FAMILY, THAT MENTAL ILLNESS, THAT WE'RE ALL IMPERFECT, EACH OF US, AND WE'RE ALL PROFOUNDLY HUMAN.

>>> FOR MORE FROM MAYOR LIN PETERSON HAWGS, HEAD OVER TO OUR WEB PAGE YOU A THE AUTHOR TAKES US BACK TO A MOMENT IN 1959 WITH AN EXCERPT FROM HER MEM WAY, HALF OF A HOLE WHOLE, WHEN HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER TWIN BROTHER BEGAN DETERIORATING AS SHE WAS ON HER QUEST FOR INDEPENDENCE.

>> OBJECTION FORD WOULD BE A GOOD SCHOOL FOR MARVIN, MOM SAID THE EVENING AFTER THAT.

I CHOKED ON A MOUTHFUL OF MILK.

IF HE GOES TO THE SAME SCHOOL AS MARILYN, THEY'D HAVE THE VAIL KAYSATION -- SAME VACATIONS.

THEY CAN RIDE TOGETHER WHEN THEY COME HOME ON WEEKENDS.

I WANTED TO SAY, MOM, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK THE WAY YOU THINK.

>> THAT DIGITAL EXTRA IS AVAILABLE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT OUR WEB PAGE.

>>> AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF YEP.

REMEMBER -- OF "CONNECTING POINT."

YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND ALL OF THE STORIES THAT YOU SAW IN THIS EPISODE AS WELL AS EXCLUSIVE FETCH TIERS, DIGITAL-ONLY CONTENT, AND SO MUCH MORE ONLINE ANYTIME AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

AND PLEASE BE SURE TO JOIN US AGAIN EVERY WEEK RIGHT HERE FOR MORE STORIES OF THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" IS PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪